James v. State

The defendant was indicted for murder. By his attorneys he filed a special plea in which he set up that he was insane at the time of the trial. The State filed a traverse of this plea. The issue thus formed was tried by a jury, who found against the plea. The defendant moved for a new trial. Pending this motion and before it was heard, he escaped from jail and was a fugitive from justice and was beyond the jurisdiction of the court. The State moved to dismiss the motion for new trial, on the ground that the defendant had escaped and was a fugitive from justice beyond the jurisdiction of the…